School Based Surveillance- YRBS Profiles - Project Abstract Summary The Vermont Department of Health (VDH), partnering with the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) and Vermont public schools, will successfully implement the School Health Profiles (Profiles) on the even years, and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) on odd years. The YRBS measures the prevalence of behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disease, and injury among youth. The YRBS is part of a larger effort to help communities increase the “resiliency” of young people by reducing high risk behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors. The YRBS provides accurate information about Vermont students which: enables Vermont to monitor trends in health and risk behaviors; compare Vermont students with a national sample of students; and plan, evaluate, and improve community and school programs that prevent health problems and promote healthy behaviors. The Profiles measure the school health environment as it relates to policy and curriculum. It provides information about school health policies and practices, specifically those related to nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, and tobacco and substance use prevention; and curriculum intended to prevent health problems and promote healthy behaviors. By implementing both the Profiles and the YRBS with fidelity to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifications and required activities, VDH will achieve weighted data for both the Profiles and the YRBS. VDH will widely promote and distribute the results of the surveys; work with partners to disseminate the reports and presentations developed; and promote the use of the data in all levels of planning and evaluation of youth health programming. By implementing these two important surveillance surveys, VDH will enhance the ability of schools, state agencies, and community organizations to assess, evaluate and improve health policies and programs for Vermont youth. This in turn will lead to a greater understanding of short-term trends in youth risk behaviors and experiences and school health policies and practices. Together the YRBS and the Profiles will allow advocates, educators, prevention programs, and policy‐makers to have sound, local data to develop and improve upon Vermont’s adolescent health, school health, and health education programs and policies.
